CHAPTER XX. THE RECKONING

Ruth had sped home through the streets unattended, as she had come,
heedless of the rude jostlings and ruder greetings she met with from
those she passed; heedless, too, of the smarting of her injured hand,
for the agony of her soul was such that it whelmed all minor sufferings
of the flesh.

In the dining-room at Lupton House she came upon Diana and Lady Horton
at supper, and her appearance--her white and distraught face and
blood-smeared gown--brought both women to their feet in alarmed inquiry,
no less than it brought Jasper, the butler, to her side with ready
solicitude. Ruth answered him that there was no cause for fear, that she
was quite well--had scratched her hand, no more; and with that dismissed
him. When she was alone with her aunt and cousin, she sank into a chair
and told them what had passed 'twixt her husband and herself and most of
what she said was Greek to Lady Horton.

"Mr. Wilding has gone to warn the Duke," she ended, and the despair of
her tone was tragical. "I sought to detain him until it should be too
late--I thought I had done so, but.., but... Oh, I am afraid, Diana!"

"Afraid of what?" asked Diana. "Afraid of what?"

And she came to Ruth and set an arm in comfort about her shoulders.

"Afraid that Mr. Wilding might reach the Duke in time to be destroyed
with him," her cousin answered. "Such a warning could but hasten on the
blow."

Lady Horton begged to be enlightened, and was filled with horror
when--from Diana--enlightenment was hers. Her sympathies were all with
the handsome Monmouth, for he was beautiful and should therefore be
triumphant; poor Lady Horton never got beyond externals. That her
nephew and Sir Rowland, whom she had esteemed, should be leagued in this
dastardly undertaking against that lovely person horrified her beyond
words. She withdrew soon afterwards, having warmly praised Ruth's action
in warning Mr. Wilding--unable to understand that it should be no part
of Ruth's design to save the Duke--and went to her room to pray for the
preservation of the late King's handsome son.

Left alone with her cousin, Ruth gave expression to the fears for
Richard by which she was being tortured. Diana poured wine for her
and urged her to drink; she sought to comfort and reassure her. But
as moments passed and grew to hours and still Richard did not appear,
Ruth's fears that he had come to harm were changed to certainty. There
was a moment whe